Apparatus for cleaning carpets.



No. 695,!62. Patented Mar. Il, |902. A, LOTZ..

vAPPARATUS FDR CLEANING CARPETSY.

(Application tiled IDec` 4, 1900.) (No Model.)` 2Sheets-Sheet l.

No. 695,l62. Patented Mar. Il, i902.

A. LUTZ.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CARPETS.

(Application med Dec. 4, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Shet 2.

(No Model.)

Uiirnii Frames 'Farrar Ottica.

AUGUSTUS LOTZ, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONF-HALF TO JOSEPH IIAAS AND .IULIUS KAIAIN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CARPETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part ot Letters Patent No. 695,162, dated March 1 1, 1902. Application iilod December 4,1900. Serial No. 38,602. (No model.)

T all whom t 'may 00u/067%:

Beit known that I, AUGUSTUS Lorz, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning Carpets; and I do hereby declare the fol` lowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

zo The objects of the present invention are to provide an apparatus by means of which carpets may be cleaned while upon the floor and the debris or refuse automatically removed, t thus obviating the necessity of removing the r 5 carpet from the door and saving wear and tear resulting thereto by the beating of the carpet in order to remove the dirt; to provide an apparatus by means of which dry or superheated steam, compressed air, gases, or va- 2o pors may be employed as the vehicle for re-l moving the dust or dirt from the carpet; to provide an apparatus by means of which the carpet may not only be cleaned while upon the floor, but which will permit of disinfect- 2 5 ants to be applied thereto and the carpet perfectly disinfected, and in providing an apparatus by means of which the carpet may be thoroughly cleaned without damage thereto.

To comprehend the invention, reference 3o should be had to the accompanying sheets ofdrawings, forming a portion of this applica` tion, wherein- Figure l is a side view in elevation of the apparatus, partly broken. Fig. 2 is a top plan 35 view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view in side elevation, taken on line to oc, Fig. 2; and Fig. i is a view similar to Fig. l, illustrating the suction-pipe as being connected to a dust-ar- 4o rester.

In the drawings the letter A is used to indicate any suitable form of a casing or housing, which is formed with an interior diaphragm or partition A. This diaphragm or partition serves to form a passage-way ct, with which communicates the supply-pipe A2, through which pipe air under pressure is conveyed from a compressor (not shown) to the said passage-way a. The lower end ot the 'o front wall Afof the casino' or housing is int) n n elined inwardly, thus contracting the lower end of the passage-way d, so as to leave only` a jet orifice or opening l), through which the air under pressure may escape. It will be understood that this jet orifice or opening preferably extends the entire width of the easing or housing proper.

The bottom plate B of the casing or housing extends to within a short distance of the inner face of the diaphragm or partition A 6o in order to provide what I shall term. a delivery-opening b', which opening communicates with the receiving-chamber BY ol the casing or housing. The forward edge of the bottom plate B terminates in a downwardlyinclined lip b2, which, as will be hereinafter explained, serves to raise the pile of the oarpet or material being treated in order that the air-blast may penetrate the same and the dirt be freed therefrom. 7o

A suction-pipe B3 communicates with the receiving-chambenlwhich pipe connects with a suction-pump. (Not shown.) In the present case the suction-pipe is illustrated in connection with a dust-arrester C, Fig. It. Any suitable form of arrester may be employed for the purpose of collecting the dust removed from the carpet or material being cleaned. However, I have illustrated an extremely simple form of an`arrester,the same consisting of a 8o sealed receptacle divided into a series of coinpartments-say three-1 2 3. AThe suctionpipe discharges into compartment l, the heavier particles of the discharged material settling therein and the lighter particles being conveyed into compartment 2 through connecting-pipe. In this compartment the heavier particles of the discharged debris will settle and the lighter particles be conveyed into compartment a through connecting-pipe. 9o This compartment is partly filled with water, and the end of the connecting-pipe is submerged therein. Consequentlyalli'oreign matter contained within the air discharged therein is collected by the body of water. 9 5 Hence the air drawn from this compartment is freed of all impurities. The pipe connections between the compartments I treat as continuations of the suction-pipe, it being understood that that portion leading' from comroo partment 3 connects with the suction-pump, situated at any point convenient to the Work being done.

The casing or housing is in the present case moved back and forth over the carpet C or material to be cleaned by means of the handle C2, the arms C2 of which are hinged to the side walls of the said casingor housing. This handle supports the valve-rod D, the upper end of which is attached to the linger-piece D', fulcrumed to the said handle. The lower end of the valve-rod is connected to the rotatable valve D2 by means of the crank-arm D3. The valve D2 Works within the seat d and serves to open and close the passage-way a, so as to control the iow of compressed air. The valve-rod is normally held pressed outward by the spring E, so that the valve Will close the passage-way a against admission of air through port d of the valve. To open the valve, it is only required that pressure be eX- erted upon finger-piece D', which throws the valve-rod D downward and through its connection with the valve D2 turns the valve so as to place its port d in registry with passage- Way a.

The connection between the supply-pipe, suction-pipe, and the casing or housing is preferably a detachable one, the supply-pipe being secured in the present case to boss et and the suction-pipe to boss 5.

v As stated, supply-pipe A2 leads from a compressor and suction-pi pe B3 from any suitable suction pump or mechanism. These parts may be located at any suitable point. If desired, they may constitute a central station or be located immediately outside ofthe building wherein the carpets are being cleaned. It is obvious that the invention is not confined to the use of compressed air, for superheated steam, dry steam, gases, or any iluid vapor may be employed. Consequently I do not wish to be understood as confining myself to mechanism for the use of compressed air, for by such expression it is my intent to cover any and all forms of mechanism by means of which vapor or volatile iiuids may be applied to and Withdrawn from the material to be cleaned for the purpose of removing the dirt l therefrom.

The invention is not only designed for use in connection with the cleaning of carpets, but is equally applicable to the cleaning of rugs, mats, or any fabric having the characteristics of carpet or rugs.

While the invention is mainly designed for the cleaning of carpets without removing same from the floor, it is not limited to such use, and l am Well aware that, if so desired, the apparatus maybe of the form of a stationary plant, by which is meant an establishment for the cleaning of such goods and the mate` rial to be treated brought to the machine for treatment.

In the operation of cleaning, where the carpet is treated without removal, the casing or housin g is passed back and forth over the surface of the carpet, the operator propelling same by means of the handle C2. It will be understood that when in use the valve D2 is turned to open communication between the supply-pipe and passage-way a. As moved over the surface of the carpet air or steam or vehicle employed is ejected from jet orifice or opening b under pressure into the pile of the carpet and forces the dirt and dust therefrom through feed-opening b into lthe receiving-chamberB. From this chamber the dust and dirt are withdrawn through suction-pip@ B3. During the movement of the apparatus the lip b2 of bottom plate B engages the pile of the carpet and raises same in order that air maythoroughly penetrate and bear upon the body thereof, thus insuring the removal of all dust or dirt. The pressure of air may be cut olf at will by simply releasing the pressure upon finger-piece D, when the tension of spring E will force the valve-rod upward and turn valve D2 so as to cut off the supply of air.

All dust or dirt drawn from the receivingchamber is discharged into the arrester C, interposed between the apparatus and suctionpipe, so that dirt or foreign matter is removed from the air prior to the discharge thereof.

As it is possible that some of the dust or dirt forced from the carpet may escape, a hood E'isprovided. Thishood surronndsthelower portion of the casing or housing A and forms an auxiliary chamber E2, which receives any dust, dirt, or impregnated air that may escape. This chamber communicates with receiving-chamber B by means of the openings d2 in the side walls of the casing or housing A. Consequently any dirt or dust escaping into the auxiliary chamber is sucked into the receiving-chamber through side openings cl2.

To prevent marring of the furniture or woodwork within the room, a rubber bandESA is secured to the hood, as shown." The apparatus designed for cleaning of carpets upon the floor in size and form issubstantially the same as the ordinary carpetsweeper.

It will be understood that by the expression casing or housing as used in this applica-- tion is meant a body, frame, base, or support by neans of which the air supply and exhaust mechanisms are connected.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be protected by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination with a casing or frame, of an air-inlet passage-way therethrough, said passage-way terminating in a contracted outlet, a receiving-chamber having a feed-opening therein, of means whereby air under pressure is supplied to the passage-way and ejected against the material being treated with sufficient force to remove dirt and foreign matter therefrom and force same into the receivingchamber, means whereby the material delivered into the receiving-chamber is automatically removed therefrom, a hood E surround- IOO ing the casing so as to form an auxiliary chamber for collecting any dust or dirt which may escape, and of communication between said chamber and the receiving-chamber.

2. The combination in an apparatus for cleaning carpets or similar material, of a casing or frame, of a receiving-chamber in said casing or frame, an air passage-Way extending through the casing, of means for supplying air to said passage-Way and forcing the same against the carpet with sufli'cient force to eject the dust and dirt therefrom and deliver same to the receiving-chamber, mechanism whereby the air and dirt are automatically removed from the receiving-chamber, of means for propelling the casing over the surface of the carpet tovbe cleaned, a valve in the air-supply, and means operatively associated With the propelling means for operating said valve.

3. In an apparatus for the purpose described, the combination with the casing, of a hand device by means of which it is propelled over the carpet to be cleaned, of means for forcing a current of air against the surface of the carpet With sufficient force to eject the dust and dirt therefrom, valve mechanism by means of which the air-supply is controlled, means connected to ,the hand device for operating the valve mechanism and of means whereby the utilized air and dust ejected from the carpet are automatically removed.

4. The combination, in an apparatus for cleaning carpets or similar material, of a casing or frame, of a receiving-chamber in said casing or frame, a downwardly-projecting lip b2 at the bottom of said chamber, an air passage-Way extending through the casing, of means for supplying air to said passage-Way and forcing the same against the carpet to eject the dust and dirt therefrom and deliver the same into Y the receiving-chamber, and means for automatically removing the dust and dirt from the receiving-chamber, substantially as described.

5. The combination in an apparatus for cleaning carpets or similar material, of a casing or frame, of a receiving-chamber in said casing or frame, an air passage-Way extending through the casing, of means for supply- 

